TRADITIONAL leaders from Muchinga Province have declared war against the Bemba Royal Establishment (BRE) and have warned that they are ready to cross the Chambeshi River for a traditional warfare with Paramount Chief Chitimukulu of the Bemba people of Northern Province.

The chiefs from Muchinga Province have also declared that they are an independent chiefdom from the Bemba Royal Establishment and the Bashilubemba should immediately stop meddling in their traditional affairs.

Chiefs Chimbuka and Chewe of Muchinga Province, who have been dismissed by the Chitimukulu, said they were angry that the Mwinelubemba could take such a drastic action against the chiefs he had no authority over.

But the BRE has charged that Muchinga was only a province and that the traditional leadership was subordinate to the Paramount Chief Chitimukulu.

BRE spokesperson Wa Shinga Mpika sha Lubemba said chiefs Chewe and Chimbuka were confused and should not be listened and that there declaration that they were ready for traditional war should be taken as a criminal act.

Chief Chewe and Chimbuka said they had been dethroned by the Chitimukulu because they had been ardent supporters of the Patriotic Front (PF) and late president Michael Sata who made a decision not to recognize and gazette Henry Kanyanta Sosala as Paramount Chief Chitimukulu.

The two traditional leaders said in an interview yesterday that they had a different family tree from that of the BRE and that the Chitimukulu was not their leader and should therefore desist from making decisions on their behalf.

Chiefs Chewe and Chimbuka claimed that Paramount Chief Chitimukula was not from Kola but Kwituna while the chiefs from Muchinga Province were the true traditional leaders from the Kola under the Mother Queen Ngoshe Mukote.

“We wish to make it clear that we do not belong to the Bemba Royal Establishment as is being claimed by the Chitimukulu. Chiefs from Muchinga Province are independent from the BRE and we have our own hierarchy which should never be interfered with by the Bashilbemba. We are warning the Chitimukulu to stay away from Muchinga Province and we shall never allow him to cross the Chambeshi because that will be war that he cannot win. We are far ahead and let him not lead us into temptation because we want peace. But if he believes he has power, let him attempt to cross the Chambeshi River and the war will be over in no time,” Chief Chewe and Chimbuka warned.

They said it was traditionally wrong for the Mwinelubemba to claim supremacy over the chiefs in Muchinga Province stating that the only supreme institution in the country was Government under President Edgar Lungu.

Chief Chewe and Chimbuka have accused the BRE of supporting certain opposition political party and that was why the Chitimukulu was frustrating traditional leaders who were supporting the PF.